holy mackerel

English - English

Definition of holy mackerel in English English dictionary

An expression of surprise

Hyphenation

ho·ly macke·rel

Turkish pronunciation

hōli mäkırıl

Synonyms

holy cow, holy moley, holy smoke, holy crap

Pronunciation

/ˈhōlē ˈmakərəl/ /ˈhoʊliː ˈmækɜrəl/

Etymology

() Recorded from 1803 with uncertain origin, but possibly a euphemism for Holy Mary, with Mackerel being a nickname for Catholics because they ate the fish on Fridays. Another suggested explanation is the practice of selling mackerel on Sundays in the seventeenth century (because its quality deteriorates rapidly), so it was known as a holy fish.